Blue Smoke Ghost

 

A matchbox scratch

A flare of light

The smell of sulphur

 

A yellow patch

Above his chair

On the ceiling

 

A row of pipes

Hung in a rack

Saliva drips

 

The suck

And suck

And suck on shank

 

Red glow

In the dusk

On a back step

 

The aroma

Of spices

In the ready-rub

 

Scratching

Grey ash

From the chamber

 

Tapping

Empty bowl

On the wall

 

The cough

The cough

The cough that killed him

 

Blue spiral

Of smoke

Over a memory

 

The ghost

In that place

By the fire

 

My father’s

Simple

Pleasure